Ch.26Chapter 4. Lambert Drive (11)

* * * * *

The firefighters in the fire truck exclaimed in admiration.

“Amazing. How can he move like that?”

The cash transport vehicle ahead was moving unnaturally. The car zigzagged as if driven by a drunk person, yet it was dodging every incoming RPG.

It wasn’t following a normal route but moving completely at will, occasionally ramming into someone, and even returning fire with guns from inside the vehicle.

Watching it somehow made one’s blood boil—the kind of maneuvering that made you feel you absolutely had to catch it. Thanks to this aggravating driving, the fire truck was free from rocket attacks.

“Keep firing!”

Of course, the liberation squad members weren’t just sitting idle. Securing the sides and rear was their responsibility. They fired through the gun ports and sometimes even opened the passenger door to hang off the side of the vehicle and shoot.

The Administration Bureau vehicles behind them had also begun to return fire. Somehow they had managed to free themselves from their handcuffs, occasionally opening the car doors to pick up dropped guns and shoot at gang members.

The battle situation was improving rapidly. The tide had turned. Victory was in the air.

‘It’s definitely a Western spy. A highly trained agent at that. I can’t imagine anyone else being V. If someone like that existed, we would have found out long ago.’

Camilla recalled Hans’s analysis. Despite all the talk about Hans, no one surpassed him when it came to situational assessment.

Even to Camilla herself, the person driving the van up ahead was truly exceptional. Bold. Powerful. Rough. Brave. His profile, though partially covered by a red handkerchief over his mouth, looked quite impressive.

And he even went so far as to kidnap a woman.

‘Is he a villain or a hero? No, he’s a spy, so making such distinctions is meaningless. He’s from the Western countries.

He even kidnapped someone from the Disease Control Bureau, not just an ordinary citizen. A woman with such a large chest should be easy to identify. Hmm… a kidnapper, but a brave spy? No. A brave kidnapper? No, no, no. What am I even thinking…’

No matter what, kidnapping someone in broad daylight is unacceptable. The woman looked somewhat small in stature, but seeing how he lifted her up so effortlessly, his strength must be considerable…

‘Get a grip. What are you doing, Camilla? Do you have that much leisure?’

Camilla clenched her fist tightly. But her confused feelings wouldn’t easily subside.

‘But that person is taking all those rocket attacks for us. For us, complete strangers. He could have just hidden behind the fire truck and used it as a shield. Why make such a sacrifice…?’

But if that person really is V, why did he discard the bag in such a strange place? Could it be that he too is a good person who opposes things like bag bomb terrorism?

‘…I want to ask him.’

There were too many things she was curious about, wanted to know, couldn’t understand. If possible, she wanted to just get out of the car and knock on his window.

‘Hmm, why a balaclava of all things? His eyes and mouth area must be all pressed in, making him look like the Frog Prince? If only it were something prettier…’

“Sister, Sister!”

“Huh, what?”

“…feel it?”

“What, what? What are you saying?”

“The vibration.”

The rifle man pointed at the floor. Flustered, Camilla calmed herself and shook her head. She began to feel the vibration that she hadn’t noticed before.

“…Is it just the tear gas tank leaking?”

“No. It’s different from that kind of vibration. Look. The surrounding buildings and windows are shaking slightly too. It wasn’t like this before.”

“And many of the gang members have disappeared.”

Now that he mentioned it, it was true. As the subtle vibrations became more noticeable, the gunfire gradually decreased. Meanwhile, the sand dust grew thicker, as if a yellow dust storm had blown in.

“…Do you hear something?”

The squad member operating the lever whispered. Everyone put their palms to their ears.

“…I hear it.”

It was a faint sound, like a mosquito buzzing, but it was clear. It was music. A very familiar tune. One that often appeared in advertisements—the kind you could confidently identify the moment you heard it, thinking, ‘Ah, I know this.’

Ride of the Valkyries.

“Sister Camilla. What should we do? We’re almost out of bullets. And we’re still far from leaving the city. That man up front is fighting hard, but… if the gang forms an encirclement outside the village, it might be difficult.”

It seems the gang members have realized they don’t stand a chance in the city. They’ll probably attack from the sides once we leave the village.

“…Let’s focus on getting out first. The vehicles behind us have armed themselves to some extent. We have to do what we can. All we can do is hope this truck holds out. And didn’t everyone come prepared for this level of risk?”

“Of course.”

“Certainly, Sister.”

“As expected, you’re the best, Sister.”

Camilla forced a smile, erasing the shadow in her heart. She couldn’t bring herself to say that she hadn’t actually wanted this.

But somehow, she had a feeling that if they just followed the zigzagging van ahead, everything would turn out fine.

* * * * *

“What is the Erysichthon Protocol?”

Of course, it’s a game name, but it seems to be used differently in this world. For some reason, Cassandra hesitates.

“I’m sorry.”

Then she suddenly starts unbuttoning her shirt from the top, one by one.

“Wh-what? What are you doing?”

“Cassandra can’t tell you. This is compensation. Here. Cassandra’s bare skin. Well? Especially for you only…”

“Hey. I don’t want to crash into a wall while looking at your chest. Dying with my nose buried in your chest might sound nice, but I don’t want to die like that yet. So button up.”

She flinches, seemingly hurt by my harsh words. But instead of buttoning up, she just zips up her jacket.

“My, how forceful.”

…That’s even more provocative. The jacket is now supporting her breasts from below. Fearing a real accident, I speak harshly.

“And if you’re going to talk, then talk. If not, then don’t. Why start and stop, leaving me hanging?”

“I’m scared.”

I swerve the steering wheel sharply. Another RPG is flying toward us. Where are they conjuring these from? Why are they coming so frequently? I fire my M4 through the window. This time I hit the target.

“What are you scared of?”

Cassandra hugs me tightly in the driver’s seat. Our cheeks are pressed together. The pressure on my chest is tremendous, but the pressure on my lower body is even more intense, so I barely notice. At least I can still see ahead, so it’s fine.

“I’m afraid that if I say it out loud, if I write it down on paper, it will become reality. That I’ll have to acknowledge it. I’m scared of the hypothesis becoming proof. I’m afraid of the proposition tilting toward truth.”

Shampoo scent. The embrace of a teacher. An inexplicable loneliness. A photo face-down on a desk. All these things flash through my mind and nose.

I recall the question that lay empty before me. I couldn’t move a finger until warmth spread.

Is she trying to fill the silence? Cassandra’s body presses even closer.

“Cassandra needs to find a counterexample. I must find evidence that the Erysichthon Protocol is wrong from its major premise. I need to prove that Cassandra is a liar, that all her theories are wrong and won’t proceed as hypothesized.

But to do that, I had to leave the laboratory. I needed more data. So I applied for fieldwork, but it’s the same. I can’t breathe. It’s suffocating Cassandra. If I stay here, I’ll break. That’s why Cassandra needs you.”

“…Why me specifically?”

“Because you talk about the end of the world. No one else talks about it so calmly. Unless they’re afraid and covering their mouths. You’re not afraid, are you?”

Another incomprehensible statement.

A body that keeps clinging to me even without lollipops. Looking again, she’s not particularly large in build. I was mistaken because of her chest, but her body is actually rather petite.

I suppose that’s why she can maintain this uncomfortable position. Even though the van interior is spacious, it’s not easy to stay embraced in the driver’s seat.

“Am I right, or not?”

This time she doesn’t stop at words. Cassandra’s hand burrows into the inside of my thigh.

“S-stop it.”

“If you don’t answer Cassandra’s question, things will go in a worse direction. This is your truth trigger, isn’t it, Johan? Come on. Tell me. Are you afraid of the end?”

“I’m not scared! Happy now? Do you know how much of my life I’ve poured into this game…!”

A slip of the tongue. But Cassandra’s reaction is strange. Her green eyes spin round and round. Her face reddens and her lips become fuller. Her gaze becomes strangely sticky. Did I hit some switch in this woman?

“Aah. Haaa. We really do match well.”

An RPG explodes at close range. I quickly turn the car. Hah, hah, Cassandra moans.

“See. Even the world is blessing our union.”

“That’s a high explosive! We’ll die if we’re hit! Wait, did you even listen to what I said?”

“I stopped listening after ‘I’m not scared.’ That was enough. Cassandra knew it. Johan is the man of destiny. We communicate well.”

“Two people facing each other and monologuing isn’t called communication. And I have no intention of going around with you, so go somewhere else when we get out.”

My half-hearted responses are purely for self-control. Those corrupt Lampert officials, they should properly pave the roads instead of whatever they’re doing. This woman keeps rubbing her body against me!

“No. Our relationship is destiny. Even the goddess of hunger cannot devour us.”

“Then let’s part ways here.”

“Is Cassandra being rejected?”

“You just figured that out?”

“It’s okay. Cassandra has been rejected a lot too. No, rejected by everyone. So this is karma. Karma must be accepted. That’s how karma circulates. Come on, let’s roll the wheel of fate again. Johan, you…”

I shouldn’t engage in conversation for too long. I keep getting drawn in.

“No, this isn’t the time for jokes. You’re a busy person, right? I’m busy too. What good would come from two busy people getting together? We’d both be busy with our own work. Don’t you have your own work to do?”

“I’m doing it right now.”

“Rubbing bodies with a man you just met?”

“No. Catching hold before everything becomes irreversibly broken, before crossing the critical point.”

Cassandra silently looks into my eyes. I look away and fire the M4 out the window. It was out of embarrassment, but someone got hit and died. Stupid fool.

“Cassandra knows. Some things in the world, once broken, can never be restored. Johan, you already know this too.”

“What do you know about me? We haven’t even known each other for 24 hours.”

“I can tell by looking at your eyes. Johan’s eyes are pretty, sparkling, large, and empty. But above all, they’re hungry. Even more than a zombie’s.”

“…Don’t you think you’re crossing a line?”

Cassandra shook her head.

“No, you’re the one crossing the line. Don’t think about lying. Cassandra has seen too many eyes. I had to record their final moments, replay them, and watch them again.

So don’t lie to Cassandra with your eyes. I won’t be fooled. You have a very old and worn-out hunger. It’s become so common that it seems natural, but it hurts, doesn’t it?”

Cassandra’s slender hand caresses my cheek as if rolling it. I feel unnecessarily embarrassed.

“I couldn’t tell by looking in the mirror.”

“Mirrors are too honest. Honest enough to reflect your lies back to you. You’ve been lying to yourself. Cassandra can see your precariousness. Because Cassandra… was like that too.”

“Shut up. Stop talking about me. So what do you want to do?”

“Catching the world before it breaks like Johan and Cassandra. Holding it before it crosses the critical point.”

Something seems a bit off.

“…Are you, are you saying I’m broken?”

Cassandra looks at me as if something is strange.

“You just realized that? Is a man who offers his chest to a woman he just met normal?”

“You touched it.”

“Cassandra is not at fault. You’re the bad one, with your nice smell and pretty body. You tempted hungry Cassandra. But you keep telling me to move away. Ah, poor Cassandra. Why can’t I eat the grapes right in front of me? Strangely, today my luck seemed good.”

How does her expression not change at all? What kind of double standard is this? She’s a truly wicked person. The type who blames others for everything and takes no responsibility—the kind of person you shouldn’t keep close.

“I really should dump you when we get there.”

“Impossible. Inconceivable. Because Johan needs Cassandra. Cassandra can fill many things for you. If you want…”

Her hand slides down to cup my lower abdomen.